Author’s Notes: Weaver of Shadow
Barbarism is the natural state of mankind. Civilisation is unnatural. It is a whim of circumstance. And barbarism must always ultimately triumph. That quote, as you probably well know, comes from Robert E. Howard. More specifically it comes from his 1935 story Beyond the Black River, one of my two all-time favourite Conan tales. (It’s a toss up with Red Nails. I can’t choose between them.) Beyond the Black River illustrates Howard’s theme all too well. It’s a tale of violence along the border between the civilised land of Aquilonia and the Pictish Wilderness. It was written late in Howard’s Read more…
Howard Andrew Jones on Sword And Sorcery
I first encountered Howard Andrew Jones over seven years ago when he was editing the old Flashing Swords website. Howard bought my first Kormak story, The Guardian of the Dawn, which naturally disposed me to think he was a man of considerable good taste. Over the years we’ve engaged in a good deal of correspondence on the subject of Sword and Sorcery, a type of fiction close to both our hearts. We shared many of the same influences, from Robert E Howard to Fritz Leiber to Michael Moorcock. It turned out Howard was, in particular, an expert on one of Read more…
Bones of The Old Ones Contest
Goodreads is hosting a giveaway of Howard Andrew Jones‘ new book, The Bones of the Old Ones, the sequel to his masterful Arabian Night’s sword and sorcery adventure, The Desert of Souls; a book I liked so much I blurbed it. The three winners will each receive a signed hardback copy of The Bones of the Old Ones as well as The Desert of Souls. Head over to Goodreads and sign up. Winners will be announced on December 19th.
Writing A Bible
I started working on a bible this week. Don’t worry — I have no plans either to found my own religion or to re-translate the Good Book. I am creating a story bible for my Kormak novels. I am talking about a grand compendium of information, not unlike the sort of thing you might find in a Warhammer army book or a roleplaying game, detailing everything a writer might need to know about the setting, basically the thing that the people who make TV series have for their writers to refer to. This is the sort of information that when Read more…
Author’s Notes: Stealer of Flesh
I know, it’s a bit silly to be writing up the Author’s Notes five months or so after the book was released but what the hell– I’ve been busy and I’ve been sick and these things get done in their own time. Stealer of Flesh is a book that Amazon made possible. Seriously. All of my life I have wanted to write something like it but I was born at the wrong time. In order to explain that we need to rewind to when I was a very young teenager. I grew up reading, among other things, lots of good, Read more…
The Guardian of the Dawn
I am a bit out of it today so here for your amusement is a reprint of my Kormak story, The Guardian of the Dawn. The Guardian of the Dawn Copyright © William King 2005 “Open the door,” Kormak yelled. Blood seeped through his shirt, the wound in his side hurt, and he was dizzy from all the witchroot he had chewed for the pain. He needed to get inside soon. It was almost twilight and this, of all nights, was no time to be abroad. He glanced back towards the darkening woods. At least there was no sign of Read more…
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